Product Description

Product Description

The Matrix (Limited Edition Steelbook) Blu-ray

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By following up their debut thriller Bound with the 1999 box-office smash The Matrix, the codirecting Wachowski brothers--Andy and Larry--annihilated any suggestion of a sophomore jinx, crafting one of the most exhilarating sci-fi/action movies of the 1990s. Set in the not too distant future in an insipid, characterless city, we find a young man named Neo (Keanu Reeves). A software techie by day and a computer hacker by night, he sits alone at home by his monitor, waiting for a sign, a signal--from what or whom he doesn't know--until one night, a mysterious woman named Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) seeks him out and introduces him to that faceless character he has been waiting for: Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). A messiah of sorts, Morpheus presents Neo with the truth about his world by shedding light on the dark secrets that have troubled him for so long: "You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad." Ultimately, Morpheus illustrates to Neo what the Matrix is--a reality beyond reality that controls all of their lives, in a way that Neo can barely comprehend.

Neo thus embarks on an adventure that is both terrifying and enthralling. Pitted against an enemy that transcends human concepts of evil, Morpheus and his team must train Neo to believe that he is the chosen champion of their fight. With mind-boggling, technically innovative special effects and a thought-provoking script that owes a debt of inspiration to the legacy of cyberpunk fiction, this is much more than an out-and-out action yarn; it's a thinking man's journey into the realm of futuristic fantasy, a dreamscape full of eye candy that will satisfy sci-fi, kung fu, action, and adventure fans alike. Although the film is headlined by Reeves and Fishburne--who both turn in fine performances--much of the fun and excitement should be attributed to Moss, who flawlessly mixes vulnerability with immense strength, making other contemporary female heroines look timid by comparison. And if we were going to cast a vote for most dastardly movie villain of 1999, it would have to go to Hugo Weaving, who plays the feckless, semipsychotic Agent Smith with panache and edginess. As the film's box-office profits soared, the Wachowski brothers announced that The Matrix is merely the first chapter in a cinematically dazzling franchise--a chapter that is arguably superior to the other sci-fi smash of 1999 (you know... the one starring Jar Jar Binks). --Jeremy Storey

Most helpful customer reviews

Reflecting back on the enormous popular and critical success of 'The Matrix', it is refreshing to note that people were overwhelmingly drawn to a film that conformed itself neither to the cynical and pessimistic bent that informs many recent movies nor to an easy and clichéd sort of optimism. The quest for truth is not mocked but strongly valorized here. This film is especially interesting for the numerous clues it gives about how spirituality is envisioned in the modern, technological world: organized groups and systems of all kinds (social, religious, political...) are discarded in favour of a more individualistic, master-disciple type of spiritual experience; at the same time, the notion of an official church is replaced by secret fraternities. This disregard for dogmas entails an eclectic approach that welcomes elements of Eastern thought (especially Buddhism and Taoism), of Hellenism and of Christianity; the path towards enlightenment is the Way, or Tao, which can't be put into words but must be lived. Neo's ongoing initiation features recurrent death-resurrection motifs - it does get caught up in a few noisy and overdone action scenes, but it remains fascinating from beginning to end. And the movie works well as an introduction to philosophy...

Last night, I have watched one of my favorite movies, "The Matrix" as I have seen it many times. I would highly recommend this movie, and I am not talking about just the full trilogy. I am talking about the very first one, this one. There is alot of symbolism in this movie and certainly several aspects that would drive one mad and utter turns to disbelief if it were to be true. What if our reality is the Matrix? Don't start looking for the holes on your arms...yet.

Also, there was alot of dailogues between Neo and Morpheus that is memorable, including this one:

"The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it. Were you listening to me, Neo? Or were you looking at the woman in the red dress?"

The woman in the red dress is what we would consider to be temptation. There are those who tasted temptation, lived for it, and will die for it...even though it is a lie. Interesting, eh?

Go out and see this movie. It is surely a must see and there's a good deal to learn from it. But, if you're not into symbolism of the movie, the actions and fights were "awesome," as my inner child would say.

Well the movie describes very well how the thing are working in our world. If you are not awaken, you are not able to see the way the matrix works. You are in a dream. It is the time to wake up and the movie can just give you the little hint you need to see the world as it is.

The Matrix Trilogy, and especially the first installment, must be one of the most significant films of our time, and is likely to go down as an all time sci-fi classic along with the likes of Blade Runner. It is obviously laden with symbology fished from a variety of sources, but I wonder if the Watchowski brothers realised just exactly how powerful a metaphor for our reality they were creating.

The central premise that our lives are not 'real' but are steeped in illusion in order that our life force may be fed upon whilst we are enfenced unwittingly like cattle - this is a relevant and powerful message on many levels. It can easily be seen that this is true on a superficial level, with the rampant rise of ultra-aggressive capitalist consumerism, whereby everyone is 'sold a dream' in order to siphon off all income to profit the few, but it goes deeper than that, and can be used to catch a glimpse of some ideas on the true nature of reality. The overlap with material such as Castaneda is remarkable, with stories about the archetypal predator who is invisible, and feeds on us because he has 'given us his mind'. In all, it is a striking metaphor for the human condition.

Of course the great thing is that, even if you don't want to explore things to those levels, taken at surface value as a piece of entertainment, the Matrix is still a fantastic sci-fi/action film, with colourful characters, awesome visuals, and a solid original plotline. Taken as a trilogy, this is a fantastic piece of film-making artwork, but the first episode definitely has the lead for sheer impact and originality. Recommended to all!